this sector

The biggest challenges facing the water and sanitation sector is the theft and vandalism of water infrastructure, the ‘Water Tanker’ mafia, the ‘Construction Mafia’, the theft of water through bypassing water meters or slowing them down as well as the illegal discharge of effluent.

As the new Police Minister, Senzo Mchunu has his hands full – and we should make sure that they kept busy with tackling some of the problems mentioned above. There is little point in municipalities and water boards constructing and investing in water infrastructure when it is constantly stolen or vandalised. Why have a regulation division in the Department of Water and Sanitation when their inspectors cannot gain access to properties or are held up at gun point? What is the point in tackling non-revenue water when municipal officials trying to fix leaks from illegal water connections are shot at? Why invest in water projects when they are delayed and costs spike due to the construction mafia? We need law enforcement.

An interesting email from ‘Lucky’ One would think that with a company name of ‘Infrastructure News’, it is obvious that we write stories about infrastructure. But I get emails from a Mr Chin trying to sell me steel pipes to a Betty asking me to tender on building a prison (yes, I know that is another con). Criminal activity is so rife that I received an email from a ‘Lucky’ last week offering the following: “My name is Lucky, I am a Manager for Region B, I have over twenty years working as an employee of Joburg water and knows how to beat and maneuver the system to resolve issues. I render the following services Overcharging of meters, I cancel accounts owing municipal bills at a very reasonable payment rate of 40% of total amount owed I connect back your disconnected water and disconnected electricity at minimal cost. I can supply and install the exact water meter adjusted to run very slowly for your use with rest of mind, I also do water bypass, I also clear municipal accounts owing I do estimates. I also supply, register and adjust electricity post and prepaid meter to run very slowly at reasonable rates. contact me Lucky Joburg Water on 0651741875 and 0639407533."

I have forwarded the email onto the entity Lucky supposedly works from and they have acknowledged it and are investigating this. But can you imagine how many companies and households are taking him up on his offer?

We have recently seen protests in the City of Cape Town over the installation of new meters. Yes, these changes should be communicated to residents in a timely, respectful manner. But let’s be honest here: the protests are not around the new meters, the protests are around the fact that illegal connections have been severed and payment will have to be made for electricity and water.

I do hope the Minister Senzo Mchunu does not forget us, and that the Department of Water and Sanitation implore him to prioritise criminal activity within the sector.